Between the spy drone that was said to have flown over the French training camp last week and the goal-line cameras used here on Sunday night, Honduras would probably argue that technology has done their World Cup bid no favours.
They should perhaps blame themselves, too, for an over-physical approach that ultimately proved their undoing, Wilson Palacios becoming embroiled in a 45-minute wrestling match with Paul Pogba and getting himself sent off. His second yellow card, earned for a stupid challenge on the towering Juventus midfielder inside the area, was the decisive moment of the match.
There have been some controversial penalties in this tournament already but this was not one of them, Karim Benzema stepping up to secure the first-half advantage France deserved. But the circumstances surrounding what appeared to be Benzema’s second — it was given as an own goal three minutes after the break — could be a source of argument long after this encounter concluded.
It was some half-volley that Benzema produced from a marvellous diagonal pass by Yohan Cabaye. But only after the ball bounced off a post, across the face of goal and struck Noel Valladares, the Honduras goalkeeper, did it seemingly cross the goal-line.
The problem was what appeared on the big screen. The declaration that it was ‘No Goal’ sparked wild celebrations among the 10 men of Honduras but was clearly a judgment made on the position of the ball before it reached Valladares.
A second judgment soon followed. ‘Goal,’ the screen declared, Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci confirming the strike he had actually awarded the moment it was scored. Presumably he had received a buzz from his watch. It was a World Cup first.
The trouble was, pictures remained inconclusive to the naked eye and the more they were shown on the screen, the more confused everyone became. Didier Deschamps was baffled and expressed his sympathy to Luis Suarez, the coach of Honduras.
At least there was no disputing who scored France’s third goal; a blistering effort from Benzema in the 72nd minute.
They should perhaps blame themselves, too, for an over-physical approach that ultimately proved their undoing, Wilson Palacios becoming embroiled in a 45-minute wrestling match with Paul Pogba and getting himself sent off. His second yellow card, earned for a stupid challenge on the towering Juventus midfielder inside the area, was the decisive moment of the match.
There have been some controversial penalties in this tournament already but this was not one of them, Karim Benzema stepping up to secure the first-half advantage France deserved. But the circumstances surrounding what appeared to be Benzema’s second — it was given as an own goal three minutes after the break — could be a source of argument long after this encounter concluded.
It was some half-volley that Benzema produced from a marvellous diagonal pass by Yohan Cabaye. But only after the ball bounced off a post, across the face of goal and struck Noel Valladares, the Honduras goalkeeper, did it seemingly cross the goal-line.
The problem was what appeared on the big screen. The declaration that it was ‘No Goal’ sparked wild celebrations among the 10 men of Honduras but was clearly a judgment made on the position of the ball before it reached Valladares.
A second judgment soon followed. ‘Goal,’ the screen declared, Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci confirming the strike he had actually awarded the moment it was scored. Presumably he had received a buzz from his watch. It was a World Cup first.
The trouble was, pictures remained inconclusive to the naked eye and the more they were shown on the screen, the more confused everyone became. Didier Deschamps was baffled and expressed his sympathy to Luis Suarez, the coach of Honduras.
At least there was no disputing who scored France’s third goal; a blistering effort from Benzema in the 72nd minute.
posted from Bloggeroid
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